Warm weather this week

Humboldt County is looking at a hot week — though it's not quite clear yet whether temperatures will break records, according to the National Weather Service.

National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Ashford said the county, especially inland locations, are going to warm up. Places such as Willow Creek and Hoopa will see temperatures in the low 90s today and Wednesday. Along the coast it will be around 70 degrees. Wednesday will probably be the hottest day throughout the county and temperatures will start to cool off on Thursday and Friday. Ashford said a ridge of high pressure building over the area and a thermal low expanding up the coast are the reasons for the warming trend.

"The combination causes fairly nice weather," Ashford said.

National Weather Service meteorologist Matthew Kidwell said the record temperature set for Wednesday's date in Eureka was 69 degrees in 1993 and a record of 81 degrees was set in Scotia in 2006.

"If Eureka temperatures hit 70 degrees and Scotia temperatures hit 82 degrees, we could have a new record, but it's hard to say," Kidwell said.

Kidwell said temperatures on Thursday and Friday will be around 60 degrees on the coast and in the 80s around Willow Creek. There is the potential for light rain throughout the county by Sunday.

The expected heat both inland and on the coast will put even further strain on a parched North Coast.

According to the United States Drought Monitor, the area is part of the nearly 77 percent of the state experiencing extreme drought. That number remains the same as last week. Three months ago, the monitor designated nearly 63 percent of the state in extreme drought conditions.

"Most of the West remains in status quo after a relatively dry but warmer than normal week," said Mark Svoboda of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska. "The general lack of snow pack and water equivalent totals leaves a lot to be desired with many locations falling at or below 50 percent of normal and many areas have already melted out that shouldn't have at his time of year.

"As the dry season settles in and demand peaks, water supplies will quickly follow suit as many in the region have already turned their attention to what the monsoon or potential El Ni?o may bring, knowing the tap is about to go dry."

Kidwell advises Humboldt County residents to be mindful, because although the air will be warmer, the water will not.

"People need to be careful about going into inland rivers. The Trinity River in Willow Creek is still about 58 degrees and really cold and dangerous," Kidwell said.